Commission to announce council election final results on Thursday

Officials of the Elections Commission recheck the result of the ballot box set up in Sri Lankan capital, Colombo. HAVEERU PHOTO/ NASRULLA SOLIH

MALE, February 16 (HNS) – The Elections Commission is to announce the final results of the first ever local council election, held on February 5 on Thursday.

Commissioner Fuad Thaufeeq said the commission has announced the provisional results, which are available on its website, of more than 400 ballot boxes set up in the Maldives and abroad, and is rechecking the results.

“We are trying to announce the [final] results as soon as possible. The first round of rechecking the already announced provisional results are underway,” he said.

According to the commission, the provisional results announced are subject to change after the release of the final results.

Some political parties, meanwhile, filed court cases to invalidate the results of the election and go for a re-election. Several candidates have also requested the commission to recount the ballot boxes of some constituencies.

The provisional results show that the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) won nine out of the 11 seats in the Male City Council and all the six seats in the Addu City Council. The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), however, won a majority of the atoll and island councils.